Gortullaghan

Gortullaghan (from Irish: Gort Tulacháin meaning 'Field of the Little Hillocks') is a townland in the civil parish of Templeport, County Cavan, Ireland. It lies in the Roman Catholic parish of Templeport and barony of Tullyhaw.

Geography

Gortullaghan is bounded on the north by Dunglave in Swanlinbar parish and Derrynacreeve townland in Corlough parish, on the west by Tawnagh townland in Corlough parish, on the south by Mullaghlea townland and on the east by Gortmore and Moherloob townlands. Its chief geographical features are a stream, spring wells and dug wells.

Gortullaghan is traversed by the national secondary N87 road (Ireland), minor roads and rural lanes.

The townland covers 171 statute acres.^[1]

History

A sub-division of Gortullaghan is called Tomena (from Irish: perhaps Tuaim Aonaigh meaning 'Tumulus of the Fair or Meeting-Place' or Tuaim Maoine meaning 'Tumulus of the Wealth' or Tuaim Móna meaning ‘Tumulus of the Bog’)

The 1609 Baronial Map depicts the townland as Gortalachin.^[2]

The 1665 Down Survey map depicts it as Gortinelechin.^[3]

William Petty's map of 1685 depicts it as Gortenelehin.

In the Hearth Money Rolls of 1662 there were two people paying the Hearth Tax in- Gartelaher- Castara O’Dolan and Thomas McEtire.

A grant dated 30 January 1668 from King Charles II of England to Richard Pyett included, inter alia, lands of Gortallaghan containing 41 acres 2 roods and 27 perches.

A grant dated 9 March 1669 from King Charles II of England to Arthur Annesley, 1st Earl of Anglesey included, inter alia, lands in the south part of Gortinelethin alias Gortinedickin containing 24 acres 1 rood and 13 perches at an annual rent of £0-6s-5 1/2d.

The Tithe Applotment Books for 1827 list seventeen tithepayers in the townland.^[4]

Griffith's Valuation of 1857 lists twenty one landholders in the townland.^[5]

In the 1901 census of Ireland, there are ten families listed in the townland, ^[6] and in the 1911 census of Ireland, there are twelve families listed in the townland.^[7]

Tomena School

The book Bawnboy and Templeport History Heritage Folklore by Chris Maguire gives the following description of the school-

Tomena National School. Taken under the National Board 27 July 1848. There was a teachers' residence attached to the schoolroom. The residence was burned about 1880 and two nephews of the teacher, Mrs. McManus, lost their lives in the fire. Later on the residence became a schoolroom, and Tomena a two-teacher school. A fire in 1944 destroyed the original schoolroom and two teachers had to work in the same room until the new school was built in 1953. Principals in Tomena N.S.- Thomas McPartlan (1848-'51); John Baxter; Hugh McManus, Tirnawannagh; Mrs. McManus; Mrs. Lunney; Mrs. O'Hara; Michael Byrne; Chris Maguire (1937-'42); Rose Maguire (1942-'47); Nuala Waldron (1947-'48); Chris Maguire (1948-'56); Seán Lennon (1956-'59); Cáit Curran ; Mrs. John F. McGovern; Mrs. Grace Doonan. Assistant Teachers:- Miss Farmer; Philomena O'Dowd; Mrs. Cornyn.

Antiquities

The chief structure of historical interest in the townland is the site of the National School and Post Office. The site of the tumulus is not known.

References

1. "IreAtlas". Retrieved 29 February 2012.
2. National Archives Dublin
3. Trinity College Dublin: The Down Survey of Ireland.
6. Tiercahoin/Gortullaghan /
7. Tircahan/Gortullaghan / Census of Ireland 1911

External links

• The IreAtlas Townland Data Base

Coordinates: 54°04′31″N 7°48′37″W / 54.07514°N 7.810271°W